West Bromwich Albion have been hit with an immediate two‑point penalty after the English Football League concluded that the club breached its financial sustainability rules. The sanction drops the Baggies from 18th place with 52 points to 20th with 50 points, leaving them just six points clear of the relegation zone with two matches remaining in the campaign. Because of the deduction, West Brom now need only a single point from their final two fixtures to guarantee their place in the Championship for next season.
Their next game is a home clash against second‑placed Ipswich Town on Saturday at 12:30 pm, broadcast live on Sky Sports. The season will close on May 2 with a visit to Sheffield Wednesday, a side that has already been confirmed as relegated.
The Baggies still enjoy a superior goal‑difference compared with Oxford United, who sit in the last relegation spot. West Brom’s goal difference is six goals better, providing a small cushion should the points tally be level at the season’s end.
In a brief statement released shortly after the decision, the club said it was reviewing its options to appeal the ruling, which must be lodged within 14 days of receiving the full written reasons. "For now, we will settle this on the pitch," the statement added, underscoring the team’s focus on the remaining games. The dispute centres on the findings of the independent Club Financial Review Panel (CFRP).
West Brom argued that the panel’s conclusions were incorrect and that the club had complied with the EFL’s Profitability and Sustainability (P&S) rules. The EFL’s Club Financial Reporting Unit (CFRU) had alleged that Albion exceeded the allowable loss ceiling of £39 million over the three‑year period ending with the 2024‑25 season.
The CFRP agreed with the CFRU, determining that the loss threshold had indeed been breached and imposing the two‑point deduction in line with the league’s sanctioning guidelines. A key point of contention was how interest payments on a loan taken out by former owner Guochuan Lai should be treated. The new owners, Bilkul, paid roughly £5 million in interest on a loan exceeding £20 million during the accounting period. They maintained that these interest costs belong to the owners, not the club, and therefore should be excluded from the P&S calculations.
The panel, however, ruled that the interest is an integral part of the club’s expenditures and outstanding liabilities, meaning it must be counted toward the loss threshold. The official EFL announcement reads: "In March 2026, the Club Financial Reporting Unit submitted a Compliance Report to the independent Club Financial Review Panel regarding an alleged breach of the Profitability and Sustainability Rules. The report alleged that the club had exceeded the Upper Loss Threshold of £39 million over the three‑year period ending in the 2024/25 season and recommended a two‑point deduction.
Following a hearing on 22 and 23 April, the CFRP determined that the club’s losses did exceed the threshold and imposed a two‑point deduction, effective immediately. The club may appeal within 14 days of receipt of the full written reasons. If an appeal is lodged, it shall be heard within 28 days of submission." West Brom’s own statement echoed its disagreement with the panel’s decision and highlighted that the breach, if any, was minimal. "The decision does not state the exact amount by which the club exceeded the Upper Loss Threshold.
West Brom has not been informed of the quantum of the breach, save that it is less than £2 million – the smallest breach ever recorded in the Championship or Premier League under the P&S Rules," the club said. The club also pointed out that the CFRU had altered its approach to Community Development Expenditure during the 2023/24 season. Previously, the EFL had allowed the club to count in‑kind donations – such as the use of facilities, staff time and resources provided to its charity partner, The Albion Foundation – as part of its P&S calculations.
Earlier in the current season, the CFRU reversed that stance and applied a retrospective adjustment, which, according to West Brom, is what pushed the club over the limit. Without the change in methodology, the club argues, it would not have breached the rules. Nonetheless, Albion reaffirmed its commitment to the Albion Foundation and its community programmes, emphasizing that the club will continue to support those initiatives regardless of the financial ruling.
Looking ahead, West Brom will decide whether to appeal the decision. The club has indicated that it will provide further comment once it receives the detailed written reasons from the CFRP.
In the meantime, the focus returns to the pitch, where the Baggies must secure at least one point from their remaining fixtures to lock in Championship safety. Fans can stay updated on the latest developments, video highlights, and analysis by following Sky Sports on WhatsApp. The final weeks of the season promise a tense battle for survival, with West Brom hoping to finish the campaign on a high note despite the setback imposed by the points deduction.